A personal message to discerning San Diego cinephiles from Thomas 'Tiny' Lister

Legendary tough guy in town tonight for San Diego Latino Film Festival's screening of "K 11"

You better scream, you better shout: 'Tiny' Lister is coming to town tonight to promote his latest film, K 11, which screens at 9:30pm as part of the San Diego Latino Film Festival.

'Tiny' is an imposing character actor who has appeared in something like 140 films. As I told him, he's the meanest, scariest looking m'fer on the planet, yet every time I spot his name in the credits my face breaks out in an ear-to-ear grin.

I spoke with 'Tiny' via telephone on Wednesday and he had no idea the film was screening this weekend. He's spending today with his daughter, but the night is free and clear. A call to Mrs. Lister earlier today confirmed it: 'Tiny's' coming!

'Tiny' stars as a child molesting convict doing hard time in an LGBT prison. K 11 was directed by Jules Stewart whose daughter, Kristen, I am told, made a big splash in something called Twilight. 'Tiny' loves the film and wants very much to support Stewart of whom he had nothing but glowing things to say.

One of the questions I was going to ask 'Tiny' was to single out the worst act one of his characters had ever committed on screen. After seeing K 11, I don't think 'Tiny' has ever played a character quite as loathsome as Detroit.

'Tiny' asked that he be allowed to leave the following message for San Diego film fans on The Big Screen:

"SAN DIEGO, PUT YOUR LIGHTS ON! SOMEBODY IS COMING TO THE SAN DIEGO LATINO FILM FESTIVAL ON FRIDAY. SOME PEOPLE CALL ME 'TINY' LISTER. SOME PEOPLE CALL ME DEEBO. SOME PEOPLE CALL ME ZEUS. LET ME TELL YOU, SAN DIEGO, THE MEANEST MOTHERF---ER IN THE WORLD IS COMING. DETROIT, FROM THE HIT MOVIE K 11 WILL BE IN SAN DIEGO THIS FRIDAY NIGHT. DETROIT IS COMING, AND HE F---S SATAN UP THE A--!"

I was going to run my complete interview with 'Tiny,' but decided instead to milk this for all it's worth. K 11 will be the premier feature when the Media Arts Center opens The Digital Gym, its new screening facility in North Park, later this month. More from Mr. Lister to follow.